The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Last week I mentioned in this space how we eat a lot of greens down here in the Black Belt. I am sure other people in other places also eat a variety of greens. There are even people up north who try and serve greens. I doubt they cook them right, and their family probably won’t eat them, but they try. I was bragging about how I was taught how to cook turnips by one of the best cooks in Possum Bend, and much to my surprise I received an email asking for the recipe. That is when I realized I d...
Those words from the song “Dust in the Wind” (1977) sung by the rock group Kansas are roughly based on some verses from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes 1: 12-14 says (NIV) I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. (12) I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! (13) I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the win...
In times of crisis every day Americans become heroes. They put their talents to work to serve their neighbors. They truly become their brother’s keepers. A Brooklyn Physician in the Epicenter of the virus in New York may have said it best. She served her mandatory quarantine period after being exposed to the virus and told Time magazine: “I am a mother of three children. I have an 11-year-old, an 8-year-old, and a 5-year-old. I chose medicine to really help people. My husband, my parents, my...
As we move into our second month of in-home lockdown, people around the country are beginning to get upset with the slowness of the pace of knocking the Wuhan (I mean COVID-19) out. I watch way too many YouTube videos or Facebook posts of bored people doing some pretty interesting and funny stuff along with a bunch of incredibly stupid things. People are beginning to get cabin fever and want to get out. I understand on one level but at the same time I really don’t feel like dying simply b...
I was recently awakened early one morning at 4:00 am with a horrific dream about America. When we were having coffee, I told my wife about the dream, which shook me to the core. The first thing that came to her mind was the New Testament scripture found in Acts 2:17 – “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” I gue...
Toward the end of last year (2019), a new strain of flu erupted in Wuhan, China, spread very rapidly, and soon began killing people. Rumors circulated that it escaped from Wuhan’s level-4 bioweapons research laboratory. Other sources suggested it came from unsanitary preparation of meat from dogs, cats, bats, and pangolins at Wuhan’s world-famous Huanan seafood market—a “wet market” where live animals are bought and sold. The pangolin is an anteater-like creature prized for its scales and Chine...
Columnist John Sophocleus learned of his earthly father's passing while writing his piece for this month’s issue. Adamant about his submission these past ten plus years, he requested The Alabama Gazette reprint “Blessed with Many Fathers” under the circumstances. We hope you find it a worthy (re)read. Editor’s Note: Our prayers & sympathies are extended to John & his family at this time. Empty screen before me now, heavy hands upon the keyboard, I struggle to type this month’s column… informed h...
America needs billions of masks to protect against the Coronavirus, particularly high-grade N95 masks for healthcare workers. Nonetheless, fear of litigation delayed delivery of millions of construction masks to healthcare workers. Should the law be slowing our emergency response? America’s largest mask producer, 3M, will soon be producing 100 million a month. The company normally produces more construction than medical masks; while similarly effective, the medical masks must meet more stringent...
Hi friends! I pray you are doing well during these challenging times. Even in the midst of uncertainty, I personally have seen God working in awesome ways! “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 Anything can be a blessing, an opportunity, if you choose to see it that way. When you see life through a lens of hope, everything can change. This can be a challenging concept to practice when you are...
I read articles about the Black Belt sometimes that make me feel like we should all immediately pack up and leave. I don’t know where we should go, but we may not make it if we stay. I read one yesterday that was really playing us up. It said we are poor, dumb, and tend to have a life expectancy that is nine years shorter than the rest of Alabamians. I knew we were poor and dumb, but I was surprised about those nine years…because we eat a lot of greens down here. I cook a mean pot of greens mys...
I think it important first if I may to express my inward thoughts. Besides my beautiful wife, I have my seven-year-old son. I’ve thought on how to address this pandemic with my family. My almost 89 year old Dad said to me that besides the fear that the Germans might march in during World War II he has never seen this affect on America. I see this as a time when our children and grandchildren see if we really walk the walk. To this I have said plainly that God is in control. Regardless of what ha...
Wednesday on the steps of the Supreme Court Democrat Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer threatened Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Schumer said the following: “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price...You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.” Sounds like Michael Corleone in the Godfather, not the Leader of the Democratic Party in the Senate. He didn...
Trumps ability to fill stadiums and maintain an unshakable base of support is defined by his adversarial opponents as a cult. To the contrary, in the face of a daily tsunami of hostile incoming artillery, Trump has stared them down and marched full speed ahead championing an over achievement in his delivery of campaign promises. In my lifetime, since working the grass roots in 1980 for Reagan, we have never seen ANY elected official deliver beyond expectations surpassing campaign promises like...
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders contends we should not allow billionaires. His view produced interesting debate exchanges with Michael Bloomberg, who has a net worth of $53 billion. Are billionaires good for America? A first consideration is the source of the riches. Were they earned from a successful business, or by stealing from or swindling others? Bank robbers and con artists do not benefit our economy. For those who inherited their wealth, we should consider the original...
If you have been reading my column long enough, I am sure you already know one thing for sure; I love WWII history. Whether talking to folks at Orange Theory, meeting a new First Officer or basically most people I come into contact with, they quickly realize this. Give me WWII, airplanes, German Luftwaffe, British Royal Air Force, or the USAAF and I am happy as can be. With that love of history, unfortunately often comes disappointment. Something or someone I may have held in high esteem,...
There is an idea out there that when you write a column of any kind, one should not be angry when writing. Although I adhere to this most of the time, I am going to violate this rule. Having already submitted my Robservation, “Never a Wrong Time,” the Gazette was gracious enough to let me write another column since this edition is going to focused as a digital version. I felt the need to get this off my chest instead of waiting for next month although certain aspects will be continued lat...
Bernie Sanders’ pursuit of the Democratic presidential nomination continues to bring popular attention to socialism. Polls continue to reveal socialism’s considerable appeal to many Americans. Opponents of socialism often offer up the horrors of 20th Century Communism as a rebuttal. Is this history relevant today? Received wisdom holds that young Americans know no history. So here’s the history lesson: communist regimes in the 20th Century produced over 100 million deaths, numerous famines, gula...
These are indeed unwonted times – certainly a first in my ten plus years as an Alabama Gazette columnist. I wholeheartedly concur with the wise decision to not print an April issue for many reasons, mostly driven by loss of distribution points with so many businesses closing. I’m nonetheless blessed to be included in this ONLINE-ONLY edition. Seems apropos in the midst of this current crash to repost my October 2017 Gazette column on the anniversaries of 1929 and 1987 crashes. Rewarding to hav...
This past February 18, under the watchful eye of Montgomery’s Mayor Steven Reed, five of the city’s nine city councilmen, spearheaded by Councilman Glen Pruitt, quickly voted their final approval of a 1% city occupational tax. Three others voted “no.” Councilman Tracy Larkin, who was ill and absent, did not vote. Reed claimed it would bring in $45 to $55 million in extra revenue every year, beginning in 2021. This tax is essentially an income tax on everybody who works and earns his living...
Recently, I was doing the dishes. Well, to be honest, my hands were doing the dishes but my mind was elsewhere. I was thinking aboutsituations in life and how to proceed. It was in this moment a thought occurred to me … asupernatural thought or message, if you will. Just as clear as day, God said, “Live with Abandon.” I was reminded of Peter. When he was in the boat and looked out to see Jesus walking on water. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you.” Jesus repli...
While I do understand that the toilet tissue shortage has been caused by panic buying in response to the coronavirus, I can’t help but to blame Auburn fans to some extent. How much tissue have y’all wasted on those trees at Toomer’s Corner? And now look at us. I saw a couple of women on the news a few days ago who were tied up fighting over a 12-pack of Charmin. That didn’t worry me though. People having to be taught the proper way to wash their hands and all of the cancellations are freakin...
The First Amendment to the Constitution is a part of those first ten amendments also referred to as the Bill of Rights. The portion of the first amendment that relates to religion reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Unfortunately there are not many writings that exist regarding the discussions on this amendment. It seems that the final language was a collection of suggested amendments. Prior to the rat...
Before I get started, I would like to express my condolences to the Ed Jones family on his passing this past week. I got to meet him when I first started writing for the Gazette and he was always kind, encouraging and respectful to me. A true gentleman and I for one will miss reading his column. Okay, for starters let me get this out in the open. I do not like the idea of Michael Bloomberg as POTUS. I know he is a billionaire and probably could not care less what I think and to be honest, I...
In 1987, I sold my portion of Giles Enterprises and did a little real estate development in 1988 and in 1989 joined the Hunt Administration as Small Business Advocate for the State of Alabama. Also in 1988, on a scratchy low powered AM radio station in Montgomery, Alabama, a strange, but different kind of radio talk show was launched, “The Rush Limbaugh Show.” I was 34 then, and now 31 years later, I am 65 and still mesmerized by the depth, insight, revelation and the almost prophetic sense Rus...
It was President Trump at his finest. Trump highlighted the booming economy, articulated his foreign policy, and tied his vision for the American future to its heroic past. He awarded a scholarship in real time, bestowed a Medal of Freedom in real time, and dramatically reunited a family with their soldier husband and father, making for the most emotional State of the Union address since President Reagan first began highlighting American heroes in the gallery during his annual address. But...
